title: Species identification and molecular characterization of Acinetobacter spp. blood culture isolates from Norway.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study investigated the species distribution, antibiotic susceptibility patterns and genotypic resistance characteristics of 113 consecutive blood culture isolates of Acinetobacter species collected between 2005 and 2007 throughout Norway.
  
  
  METHODS
  Species identification was performed by partial rpoB sequence analysis, and verified by 16S rDNA and recA sequence analyses. Susceptibility testing was performed by agar disc diffusion and Etest. Distribution of OXA carbapenemase genes and epidemic clonality of Acinetobacter baumannii isolates were detected by PCR assays. Analyses of blaOXA-51-like variants and quinolone resistance-determining regions (QRDRs) were done by sequencing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most prevalent species in the collection were Acinetobacter genomic species (gen. sp.) 13TU (46.9%) and Acinetobacter gen. sp. 3 (19.5%), followed by A. baumannii (8.8%) and Acinetobacter lwoffii/Acinetobacter gen. sp. 9 (7.1%). Carbapenem resistance was observed in one blaOXA-23-like-positive A. baumannii isolate. Quinolone resistance was detected in five isolates from the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-A. baumannii complex, of which two had point mutations in the QRDRs, including one novel ParC mutation. None of the A. baumannii isolates belonged to European/international clones I, II or III. Six blaOXA-51-like variants, including two novel variants, were identified.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acinetobacter gen. sp. 13TU and Acinetobacter gen. sp. 3 were predominant in Norwegian blood cultures, in contrast to in other countries where A. baumannii has dominated. The study demonstrated the importance of genotypic identification to determine the exact epidemiology of non-baumannii Acinetobacter species.
authors.affiliation: Reference Centre for Detection of Antimicrobial Resistance, Department of Microbiology and Infection Control, University Hospital of North Norway, and Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Tromsø, Tromsø, Norway.
authors.forename: Nabil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Karah
authors.forename: Bjørg
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Haldorsen
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hegstad
authors.forename: Gunnar Skov
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Simonsen
authors.forename: Arnfinn
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sundsfjord
authors.forename: Ørjan
authors.initials: Ø
authors.lastname: Samuelsen
mesh_terms: D000150:Acinetobacter / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D040981:Acinetobacter baumannii; D016954:Acinetobacter calcoaceticus; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000382:microbiology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D011938:Rec A Recombinases / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D055815:Young Adult; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D011938:Rec A Recombinases; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases; C105078:RNA polymerase beta subunit; D001618:beta-Lactamases; C063912:carbapenemase